Inflatable Life Raft

ABSTRACT

An inflatable life raft has a platform or platform portion formed by two flexible panels joined together by each of a plurality of threads to limit the distance apart that the panels can be moved, the panels being sealed to each other at their edges to form a chamber. A sensor can detect when the life raft is in the water, and an inflation system is operable in response to such detection to inflate the chamber with a gas. Preferably, the threads have similar lengths so that, when the chamber is inflated, the panels are substantially parallel. Accordingly, it is possible to fabricate an inflatable life raft which does not balloon out and which can provide a substantially flat platform.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a U.S. national phase filing under 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT/GB2009/051552, filed on Nov. 17, 2009, and entitled “Inflatable Life Raft”, and hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to inflatable life rafts.

BACKGROUD OF THE INVENTION

Life rafts which are inflatable have the advantage that when deflated they take up little storage space. However, a problem is that, when inflated, the inflation chamber tends to balloon out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an inflatable life raft comprising: a platform or platform portion formed by two flexible panels joined together by each of a plurality of threads to limit the distance apart that the panels can be moved, the panels being sealed to each other at their edges to form a chamber; detecting means for detecting an indication that the life raft is in the water; and inflating means operable in response to such detection to inflate the chamber with a gas. Preferably, the threads have similar lengths so that, when the chamber is inflated, the panels are substantially parallel. Accordingly, it is possible to fabricate an inflatable life raft which does not balloon out and which can provide a substantially flat platform.

Preferably, the threads have a density of at least one thread per square centimeter of each panel. The panels preferably have respective layers of fabric joined by the threads. Indeed, the fabric layers and threads may be manufactured using the drop thread method which is known in the field of velvet manufacture. Each panel preferably has an air impermeable layer so as to render the chamber airtight.

To assist climbing aboard the life raft, a rope or rope portion preferably extends around the platform adjacent the periphery of the platform. In one embodiment, the rope or rope portion extends inside the periphery of the platform. In this case, a further rope or rope portion preferably extends around the platform adjacent and inside the periphery of the platform on the opposite face of the platform, so that rope is accessible whichever way up the life raft is.

Further ropes or rope portions are attached to the platform. The rope portions are preferably portions of a continuous rope, the continuous rope including an electroluminescent filament, and the life raft further including means operable in response to the detecting means for activating the electroluminescent filament. This increases the visibility of the rope in the dark to somebody attempting to climb aboard the life raft and also increases the visibility in the dark to a rescuer of the life raft as a whole. The life raft is preferably devoid of a gunwale of like feature which would impede climbing aboard the life raft. The life raft, when inflated, is preferably operable as a life raft either way up.

The platform may have an opening therethrough at or adjacent the center of the platform. In this case, the detecting means, the inflating means and/or a control unit for the life raft is/are disposed in the opening. A removable cover may be provided for each end of the opening. Depending on which way up the life raft has landed, one cover may be removed to gain access to the central opening, whilst the other cover may be left in place to reduce the amount of water splashing up through the opening.

The life raft is preferably provided in combination with a container for containing the life raft before inflation. In an embodiment of the invention, the container is permeable to water so that the detecting means does not need to be exposed outside the container when the life raft is packed in the container. The container is preferably arranged so that, upon inflation of the life raft in the container, the life raft can burst out of the container.

The life raft is preferably provided in combination with a drogue attached to the life raft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of an inflatable life raft system packed away prior to inflation;

FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric view of a bag of the life raft system in its open state;

FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric view of a platform and drogue of the life raft system after inflation of the platform;

FIG. 4 illustrates an isometric view of a cover piece for the platform;

FIG. 5 illustrates a sectioned cut-away view of part of the platform, taken on the section plane 5-5 shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram to illustrate the operation of the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be described herein in terms of various functional components and various processing steps. It should be appreciated that such functional components may be realized by any number of hardware or structural components configured to perform the specified functions.

Referring to the drawings, an inflatable life raft system 10 comprises an inflatable platform 12, a drogue 14 and a bag 16 for the life raft 10. The platform 12, when inflated, has the shape of a circular disc having a diameter of, for example, 3 m and a thickness of, for example, 50 mm. The center of the platform 12 is formed with a circular opening 18 having a diameter of for example, 300 mm. The platform 12 may, of course, be made in other sizes.

Referring in particular to FIG. 5, the platform 12 is constructed of two layers of fabric 20, 22 which are joined together by a large number of threads 24 using the “drop thread” method which is well-known in the field of velvet manufacture. The threads 24 have a length of, for example, about 50 mm. The density of the threads 24 may be about one third of the thread density of a typical velvet, or it may be far less than that, for example one thread per square millimeter, or even one thread per square centimeter. The outer surfaces of the fabric layers 20, 22 are bonded to flexible layers 26, 28 of plastics material such as polyurethane or polyvinylchloride so as to render them airtight. The layers 20, 22, 26, 28 are cut to a circular shape having a diameter of, for example, 3 meter, and a circular hole is cut in the middle of them to form the central opening 18 of the platform 12. At the inner and outer edges, the layers 26, 28 of plastics material are connected by edging strips 30, 32 of for example, polyurethane or polyvinylchloride which are folded over the edges as shown and bonded to the layers 26, 28. Prior to assembly of inner edging strip 30, it is fitted with an inflation port 34 which is sealed to the inner edging strip.

When the platform 12 is deflated, which is preferably done using a vacuum pump, the threads 24 become crushed into a dense mass, and the platform takes up little volume but can be folded. When the platform 12 is inflated with air via the inflation port 34 to a suitable pressure, it opens out into a flat circular platform with parallel faces, and the threads 24 prevent the faces ballooning out. At a suitably high pressure, the platform 12 becomes substantially rigid and is sufficiently buoyant in water so as to support at least one adult out of the water. The platform 12 is surprising stable, and permits a person to sit on the platform 12 with their lower legs hanging over the edge, without the platform 12 dipping under the water to a significant extent, and without the platform 12 tipping.

Referring in particular to FIG. 3, a cylinder 36 of compressed air is mounted in the central opening 18 and connected to the inflation port 34 via a valve in a control unit 38.

Referring in particular to FIG. 6, the control unit 38 includes an exposed water sensor 40 which controls a switch 42 which, when water is detected, closes to supply power from a battery 44 to the inflation valve 46. Referring back to FIG. 3, a rope 48 extends from the control unit 38 in the central opening 18 and along a winding path of several circles of increasing diameter over one face of the platform 12 before passing, at portion 50, around the outer edge of the platform 12 to the other face of the platform 12 and continuing on a winding path of several circles of decreasing diameter back to the control unit 38. The rope 48 is attached to the faces of the platform 12 by straps 52 (see also FIG. 5) of plastics material bonded to the outer layers 26, 28 of the platform 12 at suitable locations. A person can use the rope 48 to help themselves climb aboard the platform 12 and to cling to the platform 12 once they are aboard. Referring in particular to FIGS. 5 and 6, one strand of the rope 48 is provided by an electroluminescent filament 54 which extends the whole length of the rope 48 from and back to the control unit 38. The control unit 38 includes a suitable inverter 56 for driving the electroluminescent filament 54, and, like the inflation valve 46, the inverter 56 is connected to the battery 44 by the switch 42 when water is detected by the water sensor 40. The electroluminescent rope 48 with its winding path over the faces of the platform 12 therefore significantly increases the visibility of the platform 12 in bad light or after dark. In order increase the visibility of the platform 12 during daylight, the outer layers 26, 28 of the platform 12 are brightly colored and marked with a contrasting marking 58 such as the “X” shown in FIG. 3.

The platform 12 is supplied with a pair of circular cover pieces 60, 62 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) of flexible plastics material which are slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the central opening 18 and can be releasably attached to the outer layers 26, 28 of the platform 12 above and below the opening 18 by Velcro® strips 64, 66. The intention is that, once the platform 12 has been deployed and boarded, the uppermost cover piece 60 can be removed to gain access to the opening 18 in which other equipment such as a torch, a laser pointer, a flare, a radio, a GPS receiver, a metallic blanket and a manual inflator may be stored in a storage compartment. However, the lowermost cover piece 62 is left in place to reduce the splashing of water up through the central opening 18.

The drogue 14 is provided with a weight 68 and is attached to the portion 50 of the electroluminescent rope 48 by an elasticated tether 70. The bag 16 is of a size into which the platform 12 and drogue 14 can be fitted when the platform 12 is deflated and folded and/or rolled up. The bag 16 may be of any suitable design. However, the bag 16 is not waterproof so that when it is dropped into the water, the water can quickly find its way to the water sensor 40 so as to activate the inflation system. Also, the bag 16 is arranged to burst open, when the platform 12 is inflated, so as to release the platform 12 and drogue 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the bag 16 has a top flap 72 which, prior to inflation of the platform 12, is held closed by a few strips 74 of Velcro®.

In order to deploy the life raft system 10, it is simply thrown, bag 16 and all, into the water from a vessel, from the land, or from an aircraft. Once the water wets the water sensor 40, the inflation valve 46 opens, and the platform 12 begins to inflate. Also, the electroluminescent rope 48 is activated. Once the platform 12 is sufficiently pressurized, it and the drogue 14 burst out of the bag 16, and the platform 12 continues to full inflation. It matters not whether the platform 12 stabilizes one way up or the other because the two faces of the platform 12 are similar. The drogue 14 sinks and reduces any tendency for the platform 12 to be caught by gusts of wind. Once a person in the water reaches the platform 12, they can then haul themselves aboard using the rope 48 and await rescue, using any of the equipment stored in the central opening 18 that may assist them.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and developments may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above. For example, the central opening 18 may be omitted, the inflation port 34 may be provided, for example, in the outer edging strip 32, and the air cylinder 36 and control unit 38 may be provided at the edge of the platform 12.

Instead of the platform 12 forming a single inflation chamber, it may be subdivided into two or more inflation compartments, for example semicircular or quarter-circular in shape. Each compartment may have its own air cylinder and inflation valve. Alternatively, a common air cylinder and inflation valve may be provided, but with a check valve between the inflation valve and each compartment. Therefore, if one compartment is punctured or otherwise loses pressure, the other compartment(s) will not be affected. Other means for triggering the inflation system may be employed, such as a pressure sensor.

The platform 12 may be shaped other than circular. It should be noted that the embodiment of the invention has been described above purely by way of example and that many other modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. An inflatable life raft comprising: a platform or platform portion comprising two flexible panels joined together by each of a plurality of threads to limit a distance apart that the panels can be moved, the panels being sealed to each other at edges thereof to form a chamber; detecting means for detecting an indication that the life raft is in water; and inflating means operable in response to such detection to inflate the chamber with a gas.
 2. The life raft of claim 1, wherein the threads have similar lengths so that, when the chamber is inflated, the panels are substantially parallel.
 3. The life raft of claim 1, wherein the threads have a density of at least one thread per square centimeter of each panel.
 4. The life raft of claim 1, wherein the panels have respective layers of fabric joined by the threads.
 5. The life raft of claim 1, wherein each panel has an air impermeable layer.
 6. The life raft of claim 1, wherein a rope or rope portion extends around the platform adjacent a periphery of the platform.
 7. The life raft of claim 6, wherein the rope or rope portion extends inside the periphery of the platform.
 8. The life raft of claim 7, wherein a further rope or rope portion extends around the platform adjacent and inside the periphery of the platform on an opposite face of the platform.
 9. The life raft of claim 6, wherein further ropes or rope portions are attached to the platform.
 10. The life raft of claim 7, wherein the rope portions are portions of a continuous rope, the continuous rope comprising an electroluminescent filament, and the life raft further comprising means operable in response to the detecting means for activating the electroluminescent filament.
 11. The life raft of claim 1 which is devoid of a gunwale or like feature which would impede climbing aboard the life raft.
 12. The life raft of claim 1, which, when inflated, is operable as a life raft either way up.
 13. The life raft of claim 1, wherein the platform has an opening therethrough at or adjacent a center of the platform.
 14. The life raft of claim 13, wherein at least one of the detecting means, the inflating means and/or a control unit for the life raft is disposed in the opening.
 15. The life raft of claim 13, further including a removable cover for each end of the opening.
 16. A combination of a container and an inflatable life raft comprising: a platform or platform portion comprising two flexible panels joined together by each of a plurality of threads to limit a distance apart that the panels can be moved apart, the panels being sealed to each other at edges thereof to form a chamber; detecting means for detecting an indication that the life raft is in water; and inflating means operable in response to such detection to inflate the chamber with a gas, in which the container is operable to contain the life raft before inflation.
 17. The combination of claim 16, wherein the container is permeable to water.
 18. The combination of claim 16, wherein the container is arranged so that, upon inflation of the life raft in the container, the life raft can burst out of the container.
 19. (canceled)
 20. (canceled) 